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Archive for August, 2010

August 31st, 2010

Meet Melanie Jaramillo, an AMAZING Mom!

Meet Melanie Jaramillo! She’s an awesome photographer and an AMAZING mom!

I’ve read over her interview a few times because each time she inspires me more and more. Melanie is a force to be reckoned with! She is a beautiful single mom who has to make her photography dream a reality, no time for procrastination or guilt. This alone gives her commendable courage that is paying off–I can’t wait for you to read her story! I’m not joking, this woman is going to inspire you today! Grab a cup of coffee, sit back and prepare to be filled up with inspiration. Leave her a love note in today’s comments if her experience hits home for you. When I finished reading her whole interview, I wanted to stand up and cheer! Let her know if you do too!

Q. When did you start your business and what was the turning point of taking it from a hobby to a business of charging people?

A. I officially started my business a little over 3 years ago when I relocated with my daughter. Before that I was a somatic therapist, and photography was more of my art… I did occasionally charge people (a ridiculously low rate) but it was really just my hobby and passion. Then I moved to a small town to be closer to family and raise my daughter out of the city, but the area I was moved to was saturated with therapists. So I had to make a decision: build up another therapy practice, or really jump into photography. Guess which I chose. ha ha.

Q. What inspires your photography?

A. I’m inspired by so many things, but at heart I’m a photojournalist and I love to find beauty in moments that most people pass by. I love to look at situations or things that people find devastating and pinpoint the beauty in it. Not to go getting sappy, but I worked with trauma victims for many years… so often I would see them so devastated by what happened and yet I could still see their strength and beauty… I really ached to be able to capture that for them. On a lighter side, I’m always inspired by my daughter and our crazy cat Thomas who always ends up dressed up like a king, or wearing a dress.

Q. What inspires you as a person, artist?

A. I have to be totally honest and say that for a while after starting my business, I felt completely depleted of inspiration. I stopped shooting film & spending time in the darkroom, stopped shooting artistic projects for ME, spent endless hours editing images at the computer, only took my camera out while I was working… and my passion quickly became “work”. My friends even joked that I was the only photographer who NEVER had a camera because I only took it out at work. But thanks to inspiration from Me Ra, this spring I took the Momentum in Business class with Karen and Fay at the Wisdom Connection. WOW- those beautiful women really helped me understand what feeds and inspires me, and I’ve just been so clear ever since. I realized that

I’m most inspired by helping people… by using my art to bring people together and bring awareness to issues. I believe that photography is an amazing community building and healing tool! I recently returned from a trip to Guatemala where I was working with Safe Homes for Children- an orphanage and school in the remote mountains. I was blessed to spend a week photographing relief work from the hurricane where they were helping 101 families who lost everything.

I was also able to give the children in the evacuation shelters disposable cameras so they could document their world.

I was crying as I watched the joy in their eyes, the deep thought they put into each photograph they took. It was amazing, and it’s really things like this that inspire the artist within me.
Q. What made you decide to do photography as more than a hobby? What was your turning point?

A My turning point was when I actually relocated, and realized there was not a lot of work in small towns. However, there were only a few photographers in the area at the time, and a huge wedding industry here. I was confident in my skills as a photographer, it was the business/ management side that I really felt insecure in at first. I absorbed everything I could possibly get my hands on regarding business and creating a successful studio, and it’s been a huge learning process for me- AND an unlearning process too… unlearning my limiting beliefs about myself.

Q. What are the classes/workshops/DVDs you’ve watched to teach yourself photography? Were they helpful?

A. I actually learned back in the film days. When I was pregnant with my daughter I decided that I HAD fulfilled my lifelong (but secret) dream to learn photography. I was so scared of photography because it seemed mathematical and mysterious. Yet I felt that as a (soon to be) single mother, the only way to teach my daughter that she should follow her dreams, was to do so myself.

After she was born I signed up for the fine art photography program at San Diego City College and studied for 2 years there. Honestly, I learned a lot about photography. My training was invaluable, yet it came with a HUGE disadvantage which was a strong thinking that “it takes a lifetime” to become a professional photographer. It was pounded into my head at film school. Rather than learning how to create a business with photography, I was trained in how to create images for a museum- with the implication that if I was lucky, I’d have an exhibit sometime before I died. This makes me laugh now. The result was many years of feeling very insecure about my photography, and feeling unworthy of charging for my work. When I met Me Ra in the Pictage forum, it was my first “ah-ha” moment, that I don’t have to wait till I’m 60 to be a professional photographer.

Q. What is one or two pieces marketing/self-promotion ideas that you can give our newbies? (something you did to get your name out there).

A. 1. Referral cards are great! When a client places an order, I create a quick 5×7 promo card with 3 images from their shoot. I created a template in InDesign, so the process only takes a couple of minutes. The card thanks them for their order and says if their friend brings in the card both they and the friend will receive $50 in print credit as a thank you. I print out 5 of them to give to family and friends. These are amazing low-cost business builders for me, and helps turn clients into marketing evangelists for my studio.

2. Now Facebook galleries are invaluable. After the order, I’ll place a Facebook gallery for the clients and it gets circulated online like wildfire. Free publicity, what’s better than that?

Q. What was your first “paid” shoot like? How did you feel on the way, during and after?

A. Ha ha, I just have to LAUGH about that one….

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Not to leave you in suspense, but I’m going to! This is Me Ra! Melanie has so much more to share with us that I decided to break her interview into two parts. Part 2 comes tomorrow or Thursday–still working those details out. But isn’t she AMAZING! Stay tuned for Part 2, she’ll answer this question and a few more great ones, plus pass on her BEST advice to newbies! Thank you Melanie, you are so beautiful inside and out! Sharing your experience with us is such a gift!

xoxo,

Me Ra

25 Comments »

August 30th, 2010

A Vital Exercise in Reaching Hidden Dreams!

(famous warning: it’s a long one! )

It’s the last Monday of August friends. We had a WILD camping trip with a certain story that you may find hard to believe–but yes, it’s all coming to the blog and it’s all true (no Mamabloo, we did not meet Edward Cullen! ). The crazy camping story and much more is coming later but right now we need to consider, TOGETHER, for a moment that…good Lord, there is no escaping it, September starts on Wednesday!

Back to school mode is in full swing for many of you. Sack lunches are being prepped, school supplies organized, as your body dreads the early morning alarm clock that school demands. But our kids aren’t the only ones who hear the school bell ringing. I don’t know about you, but every Fall my spirit hears a powerful ringing from within. It’s as if all my senses start to awake from lazy summer afternoons of spitting out watermelon seeds, and into the cold, crisp air that beckons me into a season of new beginnings and new possibilities.

How many of you felt like your photography dreams and goals went blurry over the summer? You are not alone. If my goals went a little blurry in the summer with the welcome distractions of bbqs, day trips to the beach and long sunsets; the Fall brings an opportunity to get my goals back in focus–sharp focus. With all this in mind, I gave our three, beautiful, SOAR! Recipients a vital exercise in reaching hidden dreams. It’s an exercise that is not for the faint of heart, but I invite you to do it too. And when you do, share it in today’s comments or on our SOARORITY forum (for more privacy). Ready? In honor of our new CEO, Jeff Jochum, let’s start with Clarity!

CLARITY!

You guessed it. The exercise is to first go deep within. Unlock the secret place where you keep your dreams hidden, and bring them into the light by writing them down on paper. What kind of dreams? The ones that you are convinced are impossible. We’re looking for the impossibles today. Number your impossible dreams from 1-3 or 1-33. But write them down with as much detail and clarity as possible. Don’t be lazy with describing them, convinced that they will never happen. Take responsibility for them. Give your dreams life by giving them total detail with bones, muscle, nerves, skin and color. How can these dreams walk, leading us into a place we dare to hope for, if they don’t have form or shape?

ALTERNATIVES!

Some of you may read the word “alternative” and think there is a way around this exercise. Not really, just another option to get these dreams out of hiding. If you are not a writing type person, paint them, sketch them, even scribble them. Get a blank piece of white paper. Set the timer for 1 minute, and force your hand to draw out your dream as fast as you can without erasing a thing. Sketch the wide frame as if you were photographing it. Start to add the details–scribbled details. We aren’t working to become the next Rembrandt. We are working to unlock the prison door to dreams that are begging to get out. Sketch fast to stay ahead of your reasoning side brain that questions every line. Expect it to be messy. Let it spill onto paper like a pile of scribbles. Don’t stop moving your hand until the timer goes off.

TIME FRAME!

Yes, your dreams have a time frame. Don’t be fooled when someone says you can do your dreams at “any time”. I don’t believe that. I believe our dreams have lives of their own, and their life span is determined. Some dreams will die away with time. New ones may take their place, but how many will we watch die first? Do you know the life span of your dream? When will it be to late for this dream to happen? For example, our dream for Me Ra Koh Media is to get me in front of every mom with a camera…to have a TV show that empowers parents to capture their beautiful kids…to even structure the dream with such clarity that I can involve my own kids in a special way that keeps our own connection as a family only growing and deepening. (Can I tell you how many people have told me that this is asking for the impossible on “several” accounts? I have come to expect that and often see those people in the front row, watching and hoping that they are wrong.) Well, my kids aren’t getting any younger. Brian and I told Jeff that we feel like we’ve got two years to make me the Rachel Ray for mommy photography. That is the time frame I’m giving this dream. And if it doesn’t work, if we put all our eggs in one basket to see the basket break, well… we will be the best damn sales people at Best Buy for Sony cameras!

Some of you may read this last part and be thinking ‘Me Ra, you could have more than two years. You don’t need to expect so much in so little time.’ And you are right. But as Jeff has taught me over the years, I’ve got to choose something. I’ve got to CHOOSE a time frame. I’ve got to CHOOSE a goal. I’ve simply got to choose something! If we move the time frame, we do. But there is no starting point unless I choose a finish line.

PUBLIC SCRUTINY RISKED

Now comes the vital step of total refinement. You must not only write or sketch your dream, but you must share it and risk public scrutiny. So let’s be smart about this next step. There is always a risk of criticism, but we can lower the risk by being wise. Let’s agree that you will share your dream(s) and their time frames with a safe group of people who will respect and not scrutinize. You are welcome to do this on my blog in the comments today. (Because if anyone criticizes your dream on my blog, I will not only delete their comment to kingdom come but personally kick their butt!) You can join the SOARORITY forum if you haven’t already, a private forum for women wanting to SOAR!, and share your dreams there. This was a forum created to provide a place of safety. Or you can share them with a couple trusted friends. If you do the third choice, I encourage you to pick at least two or three friends so that one person is solely responsible for having a good reaction. We are only human. Better to hedge your bets with three people and not one.

BREATHE

Once you have done all the above, exhale. You did it. You let your dreams out of a prison you have mistakenly called “safe keeping” and let them see the light of day.

PREPARE

Prepare yourself. Once you let your dreams out of hiding…once you give them clarity…”time frames” built on faith…and risk public scrutiny…only to wake up the next day and still believe your dreams are possible…you dreams will run. Prepare for unexpected opportunities to come your way. Prepare for conversations to start that connect to all of this. Prepare for baby steps to be made known. You are no longer hiding, and all of heaven has been waiting on the edge of their seats ready to respond!

I’m praying for each of you today. I’m praying this Fall is something you own like never before. I know this is a BIG task to undertake. I know it shakes some of you to your innermost being. I also realize we’ve talked about the topic of dreams a few times on this blog. It’s time to pick em up again, dust em off, and lead them to the light again.

I believe that you are worthy of seeing your dreams become a reality. You are worthy of living those dreams out. But I know this starts with a step of faith on your part–a risk that seems to take all the oxygen out of the room. Yet I know with all my heart that when your dreams are out of hiding, the reward of the journey itself tastes just as good as the final destination.

I remember the temple ruins of Angkor Wat, Cambodia and feeling like I had made the mistake of not only burying my dreams but building shrines over them within my heart. It’s time to excavate. As you bring your dreams out of hiding feel the sun’s warm glow on your face.

Close your eyes and picture me waving to you. A fellow dream traveler is always welcome!

xoxo,

Me Ra

p.s. The SOAR! Recipients don’t get the luxury of thinking about whether or not they want to do this exercise. I’m requiring them to do it. And they get to share their dreams with all of you this week on the SOAR! blog. If you have time, will you be one of their three friends this Tues, Wed, Thurs.? Much love!

19 Comments »

August 27th, 2010

The Other Side of the Mountains!

By the time you read this, we will be sleeping in a tent under the pine trees! Yep, we made it camping friends! We really made it!

So stay tuned for the infamous Top Ten Reasons to Go Camping! The 2011 list may knock it out of the park this year! The weather is saying 90 degrees today and snow flurries tomorrow! Who knows what adventures await us!

Barbaric Yelps if nothing else!

Did you see The 2009, Top Ten Reasons to Take the Kids (and the Dog) Camping!

And the post that started it all! The 2008, Top Ten Reasons to Take the Kids Camping!

xoxo,

Me Ra

p.s. If we happen to run into each other in the woods, you bring TP and I will try to remember too!

6 Comments »

August 25th, 2010

The Workshop You’ve Been Asking For!

Our business, Me Ra Koh Photography, is growing “BIG TIME” friends! This has been a summer of high high’s and low low’s with my dad and the biz, but we are not only surviving; we are overcoming and EXPANDING! Me Ra Koh Photography now has a bigger umbrella: Me Ra Koh Media Inc! Lots of you know what crazy dreams I’ve been pursuing. Get ready! We are getting there! And I’m super excited to say that we also have a new CEO! Jeff Jochum has accepted our invitation to help take our dreams of mass media expansion and make them a reality!

As many of you know, Jeff has played an intricate part as Business Advisor for the last five years. He has taught me so much about the smarts of business! It’s one thing to take beautiful photos (as many of you know all to well) it’s quite another thing to “sell” yourself and book clients.

Well, to celebrate our new expansions, the first thing Me Ra Koh Media is going to officially do is GIVE BACK TO YOU! In the true heart of how we do everything around here, I want to share Jeff with all of you! Jeff is going to come to Houston on September 10th! At my request, he’s going to do an intensive four hour, fully packed workshop, on “selling” to women! Friends, if any of you ever wondered how Brian and I have made it this far, Jeff is going to be sharing the same tools he’s taught us with YOU!

And that’s not all! We were able to schedule this workshop around a special Sony Style store presentation that I’m doing in Houston on September 11th (event is free and more details to come). So I’m going to fly in early, and do an extra TWO hours of work with all of you after Jeff’s four hours! Our CONFIDENCE Workshops are so jammed packed with content that many of you have asked for a special workshop focused on Business/Marketing. Well, how about four hours with my former business advisor and now CEO, and then an extra two hours with ME?!

The recession is in full swing, and I believe smart, savvy, strategic women are the answer! I’ve had lots of time on SEVERAL planes this summer to read the latest publications and research the facts around Womenomics, and I’ve never been more convinced than ever, that if you have a dream of having a photography business, now is the time! Really? you ask! REALLY FRIENDS! Wait till we talk!

In fact, if you’d like to get your juices flowing and ready for this workshop, read the New York Times bestseller, Womenomics! It’s AMAZING!

Don’t dismay men, this workshop is open to you too! The focus is how to “sell” to women, and you need to know this information whether you are a woman photographer or male photographer. (I know. You are in shock that I’m actually letting men come to a workshop! I saw your jaw drop. Yep, it’s really true guys! Come join the fun! )

We have limited spots, so CLICK HERE to register!

The cost is normally $199, but we start our Early Bird of $149 today! It’s a pretty great price that will have a guarantee return. (And seriously, I’m just so excited to share Jeff with you! Woooo-Hooo!)

And, the first 25 to sign up, will get our popular Portrait and Wedding 101 Kits for free! Those two kits combined cost more than this workshop! Ha!

MWAH!

See you in Houston! CLICK HERE to Register!

xoxo,

Me Ra

p.s. There is a possible chance, that if the stars align with my travel schedule, we can do this in Seattle and NY in October. Let me know East and West Coasters if you are listening!

35 Comments »

August 24th, 2010

MamaBloo Photo Tale: It’s Finally Back to School Time!

Kari from MamaBloo here!

With five kids I am always in a quandary about how to document the first day of school. I remember back to a post from Me Ra about when Pascaline started Kindergarten. There she was on the front porch tying her shoes — oh, such a milestone and she was doing such a good job. I felt myself sucked in to the STORY of her first day so much that here I am years later reflecting on it!

But, I must be honest. By the time the first day of school rolls around I am anxious to get the little buggers out the door so I can kick back and salt the rim of my coffee cup and drink my morning “beverage.” There is no more creative-story-telling juice left in me. All my good ideas have been sunburned and chlorine drowned by months of entertaining and corralling a passel of kids. Plus, to get ready for this glorious day, I have undergone trips to Abercrombie followed by standing in line for kindergarten registration: a gamut no mother should have to endure.

So, the first day of school pics.

I lit a candle and tried to channel as much Me Ra as I could.

Chanting a bit, to be honest. “What would Me Ra do? What would Me Ra do?

Nothing. I got nothing. Not a thing. No creative spirit. No energy to fiddle with the white balance on my camera. Cursing the day I learned that just stacking your kids in a row and snapping their photo was not “telling the story!” Drats! Curses! A pox on all things that Refuse to Say Cheese!

So, I parade the children out the door to the front door. And I stare at them. They stare back. Then they start to stare at each other as if to say, “The old lady has finally lost it.” Just as they are about to do the unthinkable and put their arms around each other and smile ( and I will never ever be able to show these pictures to Me Ra) an idea begins to take place. Just a little bud of inspiration tunneling itself up through the dry cracked desert. “Uh, Izzy, hold up 6 fingers any way you want to and start modeling!” Ah man, that 6th grader took off with this! It was like the number six was a sugar-hit or something. I am flying now.

I AM photo-coaching.

I am Me Ra but a smaller, rounder, more freckled version.

Onto my 4th grader and her 4 fingers and then my 8th grader and her 8 fingers. “Have fun with your fingers!” I yell. Who knew that these digits would be the inspiration for some memorable photos.

And then, just for old time’s sake, I had them put their arms around each other and look right at the camera and say, “Cheese!!!”

And I kept that photo, too.

love, Mamabloo

8 Comments »
Tags: MamaBloo

August 23rd, 2010

DC Running on Empty Contest Begins Today!

Last night, I was getting the kids ready for bed and couldn’t believe how dark it was. But what took me by surprise was the realization that it was only 8:30pm! Oh friends, Fall is around the corner. Our long summer days are coming to an end. But with all the ups and downs of the summer, I have to admit that Fall is my favorite season. I love trading the BBQs for homeade soups, seeing the leaves turn vibrant shades of red, and then smelling the fireplaces on evening walks–C-O-Z-Y! I love Back to School parties whether it’s shopping with the kids or getting our new box of homeschool supplies! In fact, check back tomorrow because Kari/Mamabloo is bringing you a HILARIOUS Back to School “Photo Tale”! And last but not least, I love that Fall brings the fresh start of CONFIDENCE workshops after a lazy summer break! Woo-hoo ladies! The countdown has begun!

Brian and I are SO looking forward to meeting you all! San Antonio is the only city with seats still left! DC and San Francisco are both SOLD OUT! Woo-hoo! And you know what this means…(drum roll) we can start the Running on Empty Contest for DC!

The DC CONFIDENCE Photography Workshop is SOLD OUT! The weekend is September 17-19. It’s a lively group that includes a couple ladies who were our models at the NY workshop! They had so much fun they just had to come back on the other side of the camera they said! Everyone’s been emailing, saying why they are coming, what they hope to get out of the weekend, sharing their fears, insecurities and enthusiasm. Brian and I love reading their stories. We can’t wait to meet them all! But there is one mystery woman we have yet to meet! She is our future Running On Empty winner. If you fit the profile below, apply today! The deadline is this Thursday at 6pm, PST!

If you know a MOM who is;

A. Running on Empty

B. Lives near Washington DC or has mileage to spend

C. Can arrange for a sitter and get the weekend free, starting Friday, September 17 for Meet & Greet night all the way through Sunday night, September 19.

D. Most importantly, has a PASSION for photography

Nominate her TODAY! Nominations must be in by Thursday night, 8/26 at 6pm PST.

We will announce the winner in time for her to jump in and make all the arrangements. So make sure your nominations are all in by Thursday at 6pm PST. If you are not familiar with this contest, read below and see what it’s all about! Moms are one of the most beautiful parts of creation. This contest is all about acknowledging their beauty, especially when they are Running on Empty.

Running on Empty

Here’s how it works!

In honor of how wonderful moms are and all that they do and give, Brian and I keep one spot reserved in every workshop for a special mom like YOU! That’s right, you (or she) will get a free pass to the upcoming CONFIDENCE Workshop in the DC area! (Please note, we don’t provide room/board and travel.)

To nominate a mom, you must post a comment telling us about the mom who you think deserves a big break in life! If you are a mom, you’re probably laughing because we ALL deserve a serious break. But the moms we’re looking for are the ones who have had a ridiculous amount of stress in their life whether from trauma or things just not going her way this year. She is a mom in your life that needs a serious blessing to come her way. She needs a serious surprise that gives her empty tank some fuel. If she is a woman that has miscarried, she is still a mom in my mind b/c I know her heart became a mother’s heart the moment she found out she was pregnant. Don’t hesitate to nominate her too.

I’m proud to say that our previous winners stepped out on a limb and nominated themselves. Take courage in them and feel free to nominate yourself if you know you need a serious break. Who knows, you may have your house remodeled by Oprah!

We’ll collect all the nominees, have a committee of wonderful moms vote, and then announce the winner in the next two weeks!

Nominate her today and turn her day around! Oh, wait! Don’t forget to let her know you’ve nominated her too! If I was a mom nominated I’d love to know my friends were thinking of me whether I won or not! Deadline for ALL nominations is Thursday, August 26th at 6pm PST. Nominations MUST be posted as a comment on this blog post. Either your email or the nominees email MUST be included on the blog post to qualify (you have to write it in). Nominations emailed or posted on other blog posts may be overlooked. Please post all nominees here. Thanks!

For more details about the CONFIDENCE WORKSHOP, CLICK HERE!

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We have just a couple seats left for our San Antonio, TX CONFIDENCE Workshop! CLICK HERE to get your spot!! It’s the only one open right now. San Francisco’s completely FULL.

23 Comments »

August 19th, 2010

Photographing Baby Details: There is No Comparison!

Some of my favorite Defining Details to shoot are Baby Details. The little toes, hands, eyelashes, yawns, ears…I could go on and on. Why are we so in love with every little baby detail?

I adore Brian, love him to pieces. So I decided to shoot “Brian” same ear detail. And you know what…I don’t really need to say anything else, do I? It’s just not the same.

Even turning it to black and white and adding a border doesn’t help.

I now visually get why “Baby Details” can never be matched. If you are blessed to have a baby near you, get out that camera and think small by shooting the smallest details. Little tip: nap time is a great time to shoot!

xoxo,

Me Ra

p.s. For more ideas on how to capture your baby’s Defining Details, check out the Refuse to Say Cheese DVD!

p.s.s. The Running on Empty Contest for DC starts Monday morning! Get ready ladies! Is it you?!!

25 Comments »

August 18th, 2010

Post Process Lightroom Tips for Photos from SOAR!

The SOAR! Recipients have done such an AMAZING job blogging their journey these last eight months. This week they are highlighting the awesome influence some of the SOAR! Partners have had on their photography journey! Don’t miss it!

If you are a beginner in Post Process stuff, here is one post you don’t want to miss. For those of you who don’t know, Adobe is one of our awesome SOAR! Scholarship partners. They are equipping the recipients with all kinds of amazing software and books. Jennifer dove right into Lightroom and fell in love with one of my favorite features; Vignettes. Keep on reading, and you’ll be adding vignettes to your photos in no time! (great post Jen!)

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The day that Lightroom was delivered down our drive, I became a professional photographer…

At least it feels that way! I really am in love with using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. We kind of have this thing… this little relationship now. Even though we are still getting to know each other, I am by far one of Lightroom’s biggest fans. Not only is Lightroom a cataloguing genius, it is just plain EASY to use!

My life has changed. I heart you my little photo editing b.f.f.

Want to know one of my favorite, super-easy, must-haves on most of my picture edits? Let’s look!

On the right hand side, when you are in the “Develop” screen, you can scroll down and see “Vignettes.”

Moving those sliding scales leads you to the perfect finishing touch for your picture.

Here’s a before and after:

These were from the self portrait exercise we did last week-The vignette is letting me put focus on the details that help tell the story. So simple and so effective! I love that! In fact, I love it so much that I’m a little addicted to vignettes.

But I didn’t become a “vignetting queen” right away. I experimented many times and tried a lot of different edits before I had a few things that I included in most pictures. See, the value of Lightroom is that it is non-destructive editing. I can make all kinds of ugly attempts at improving a photo and with the click of my mouse, go right back where I started, straight out of the camera. And then I can change my mind again and, with the same click of a mouse, go straight back to the edits I tried. This is so huge, especially when you are learning what looks good and what doesn’t!

(these are the history of my edits from beginning to end-picture below-before and after…if I click on Import, I will see the picture I imported (SOOC), if I click on Fill Light, I will see where I stopped editing. and I can click on any of these steps in between and see where I was during editing!)

Lightroom is such a powerful tool. In fact, there is so much more I could tell you than what will fit in this blog. Here are some of the most fun features Lighroom offers. While I am getting better at photography, I’m also getting better at presenting my photos. And, when I need bigger help because of tricky lighting or something like that, Lightroom has saved me!

Besides picture editing, Lightroom will be so helpful in working with clients…from watermarking to putting together slideshows and publishing them on my website.

I am SO grateful to Adobe for their partnership with SOAR! What a gift we’ve been given! And now that I’m working with Lightroom, it’s time to start learning all of CS5-unbelievable!!

Here’s to hoping you are having a great week! If you haven’t used Lightroom, go download a trial version today! Tell ‘em the “vignetting queen” sent ya’!

Let’s do this y’all!

Jen

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For more Post Processing Tips, check out these two blog posts from the Archives!

Me Ra’s Six Time Saving Steps to Processing an Image!

and

Make Post Process Count!

To read more of Jen’s SOAR! journey, CLICK HERE!

And tomorrow, we discuss the beauty in photographing Baby Details! This post will make you smile!

3 Comments »

August 17th, 2010

The Joy of Photographing Real Life!

I was in Colorado a couple months ago, and I got to visit dear friends for the afternoon. You’ve seen their family on our blog a handful of times because we’ve shot the weddings for both sisters and have continued to document their beautiful, growing families. I love Shannon and Brittany—L-O-V-E them!

And can you believe that Shannon was pregnant with baby Cruz when I showed up! Not only was she pregnant, but she was within weeks of her due date—a wonderful time to take pregnancy photos. Shannon wanted a photo of the curves she sees when she is on her side. I totally knew what she meant. I remember being close to my due date, and I would look down the side of my body as I lay awake in bed, mesmerized by the amazing curves and form my body had taken from pregnancy. We decided to experiment with a couple different angles, and this one is my favorite. It feels so peaceful, like following the path of the water’s flow.

f/2.8, Shutter Speed 125th of a sec, ISO 800

Was our shooting “setting” peaceful? Afraid not. We had dogs, her nephew, her husband and little girl—all joining in the fun. If you were picturing a quiet, spacious studio shoot, oh no-no-no. This was shooting pregnancy photos right in the middle of the family room while real life was happening all around Shannon.

And even though we set out to capture a certain photo, I have to say that some of these outtakes are also favorites.

As photographers, we have this amazing opportunity to capture images that cause time to stand still.

And I am convinced that with every passing year, our images will only become more and more valuable to those whose stories we captured.

The next time you are doing a photo shoot at someone’s house don’t forget to step back and shoot all the funny outtakes. Invite the children and pets to watch the shoot, even get involved. You have no idea what pockets of joy are waiting to be captured. (Shooting outtakes is also a great trick when you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed. You have fun and feel a release from pressure of getting “the shots”, and then you can refocus on the photos you are aiming for when you’ve relaxed again.) Just a little something to store away in your camera bag of photo shoot tricks.

Bottom line: Instead of fighting the environment, jump in and capture all the energy and craziness surrounding you. This is the joy of photographing real life!

xoxo,

Me Ra

p.s. You are beautiful Shan. I love you!

p.s.s. For more Photo-Recipes and Tips, you can search for specific tips in our Search bar or click on the Photo Tips Category or check out our award winning DVD series, Refuse to Say Cheese and Beyond the Green Box! Enjoy!

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August 16th, 2010

Moms, Guilt and Lies!

Warning: It’s a long one today!

Brian and the kids were all packed in the car and driving me to the airport. I was flustered getting out the door. Not because I forgot to pack something. My suitcase had been packed for the last ten days. Not because we were running late, we were actually ahead of schedule. Why was I flustered? One simple word. Guilt.

Before the summer started, before my dad’s horrible car accident, I pictured something very different for our summer than what has happened. I pictured long, lazy afternoons at the pool, sticky popsicle fingers, another round of sprinklers, another slice of watermelon, a Saturday of meandering through garage sales, a camping trip along the river bed and bike rides—lots of bike rides.

But life doesn’t always go the way we planned. The first six weeks of summer were spent in the hospital with my dad. It was a tough, tough time for our family, and it continues to be as he prepares to go back to the hospital for Phase 2 of his recovery. But, I’ve also had amazing conversations with him that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

Within days of that six week period ending, I started travelling for work. Ten days of travel with two nights at home in between cities. A beautiful wedding in Colorado, an important speaking engagement in LA, and then a HUGE project that took me to NY (more on that later). Somewhere in between the LA and NY trip, guilt reared it’s ugly head which brings us back to the car ride to the airport.

I felt so guilty about leaving the kids again, that all my behavior was highlighted with stress. Flustered packing, snappy responses to Brian, stressed, work conversation in the car, it was turning into a whirlwind of anxiety. Brian asked me to try and calm down so that I didn’t leave him and the kids with so much stress. Why didn’t I want to cry the moment he said that?

I think that part of me felt like he didn’t get it or understand. How could he ask me for something, when I was giving all I had? You know that whole path of logic—it’s basically titled “whoa is me”. But underneath all the whoa is me stuff, I realized that my outward stress about something much more. I realized that I was acting out all this stress because I was hoping that the kids could see how much more I wanted to be with them. I was under the impression that my stressed behavior was actually giving to them, showing them how much I love them and want to stay. Oh man, I knew there was only one way to find out if this was true. Turn around and ask the kids.

We stopped for gas, and I strategically waited to ask the kids when Brian got out of the car. Wasn’t ready to own up to all this in front of him, not yet. “Pascaline, when you see me stressed like this, do you feel loved by me or more stressed?” There was no hesitation for Pascaline OR Blaze. “I feel more stressed mom. It’s really hard to see you this overwhelmed.” And then she went on to speak such innocent wisdom that left me speechless.

“Mama, I know you have to travel a lot for works sometimes, but I just want to see you happy. If your happy, than I feel happy for you. If your happy and excited to go on this trip and do all these fun things, I’m happy and excited too. But when your stressed, and you say you don’t want to go, my stomach starts to hurt because I don’t know how to help. I feel really helpless.”

Oh my goodness. I sat there in total astonishment. It was so clear. The kids are happy if I’m happy. The kids are excited if I’m excited. Even though my Pascaline is a strong willed, intelligent nine year old, she still looks to me to know what is okay and not okay in this world. If I’m good, she’s good. How did I miss it? Again?!

Blaze said he feels sad when I’m stressed, and he doesn’t like saying goodbye to me at the airport when he’s already sad. And that was all I needed to hear. Brian got back in the car, and I couldn’t hold back the tears. I asked both the kids and Brian to forgive me. I told them that I was actually really excited about this next trip, but I didn’t want them to think I was ever excited to leave them.

Pascaline chuckled and said, “Mama, I know you love your work, but I know you L-O-V-E me way more! You don’t have to worry about us thinking something crazy like that! We just like it when your happy.”

From that minute, I put a smile on my face. I told them what my trip was about, what opportunities were waiting, how excited I was to go, what an adventure it would be. And they listened wide eyed. When we got to the airport, I hugged and kissed them. And instead of apologizing for being gone the first six weeks of summer and now the last ten days, I pushed all that away and told them how excited I was to go swimming when I got back. I kissed and squeezed and kissed and hugged them until it was time to go. And Brian whispered ‘thank you’, as I walked through the double doors into the airport, waving one last time.

Our kids are happy, if we are happy. Is it really that simple? From that day, I made a promise to myself. Even when I’m beat down and tired and dread getting on another plane, I’m going to smile and tell the kids how happy I am to try this new adventure, but even more so, how much happier I am to come home to them.

This is what amazes me. I have multiple sources that I go to when I need affirmation on whether or not I’m making the right choices or pursuing the right things. Sometimes I go overboard and look like a woman with twenty five headlamps on her head, pointed in different directions. But the kids…the kids have one headlamp.

It’s a single light that shines in into the darkness of all tomorrow’s unknowns. And I have never realized how fixated their light is on mom and dad. If mom and dad are good, they know they can relax and feel safe in the world. It’s not about the hours I’m working or the trips I’ve needed to make. It’s about the peace and joy I have when I’m with them. If their little search light finds that on me, they are good.

We’ve only got two weeks left of August. You may have had a wonderful lazy summer or a crazy, unexpected summer. Ask yourself today, “When was the last time I did something for me?” If it’s been longer than a week, roll up your sleeves. This isn’t just about you, but the whole clan. What can you commit to doing today that will bring you joy, peace or rest? Maybe it’s a day to yourself, time set aside to work on your photography, a walk with just you and the dog (minus the neighborhood kids riding their bikes behind you), go see a movie alone (a favorite of mine)…whatever it is…make it happen.

I have a feeling that it will not only fill you up, but the whole family, especially when those little headlamps illuminate you.

Happy Monday dear friends!

xoxo,

Me Ra

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